Researchers have recently discovered a rare, giant spider species living in Queensland, Australia. They believe it is necessary to find ways to protect this species.
According to a study published on March 15 in the journal Arachnology, a tarantula-like creature belonging to the golden trapdoor spider species of the genus Euoplos has been the subject of extensive research since 2017.
Euoplos dignitas in Queensland, Australia. (Photo: Michael Rix).
Research author Michael Rix stated that this species – now named Euoplos dignitas – was first discovered in the early 20th century near the towns of Monto and Eidsvold. However, it has not been fully described or named due to a lack of information, CNN reported.
For many years, only a few specimens of Euoplos dignitas were housed in the Queensland museum, mostly collected before the 1970s. However, none of these included male spiders, which posed a significant hindrance to Rix’s team’s research.
After a long search, they finally discovered Euoplos dignitas on a road in the Eidsvold-Monto area in May 2021.
According to Rix, “dignitas” in Latin means “dignity or greatness, relating to the extraordinary nature of this spider.” “This is a large and beautiful spider,” he shared.
According to the research, females have a reddish-brown carapace and exhibit nesting behavior, growing to over 5 cm in length – a “very large” size for this species. Males have striking honey-red carapaces and legs, while their abdomens are brownish-gray.
These spiders can live for a very long time, potentially for decades.
The study indicates that it is essential to protect this rare spider species. When they located male specimens of Euoplos dignitas, they observed that most of its natural habitat had been replaced by agricultural activities or severely impacted.
“Until we complete a detailed survey, we are unsure how many populations exist. However, the range of this species is very small, and we only discovered one (living specimen) at that time,” Rix noted.
